Fermented Milk Proteins
by MiaGhost
Summary: Mirage loves to pose for the cameras, and he always has a smile on his face for whoever wants his attention in that moment. So when Wraith notices that the smile has stopped reaching his eyes, well. She's gotta do something about it, right? Even if it's something small. Or, ugh, something stupid. It's amazing what a photograph can show you, if you're looking. (Companion to follow.)
1. Chapter 1

~.~

Wraith watched while Mirage leaned forward into frame, resting an elbow on the shoulder of the fan who'd queued for the selfie, winning smile in place as he clicked his tongue, motioning as though shooting the camera from his fingertips.

The girl beamed, her eyes bright with excitement - they'd all heard how Mirage was her _absolute favourite_ of all the Legends - and her cheeks had reddened due to his proximity. It was no secret Wraith's squadmate had a visible affect on a good many of their fans. By pairing his good looks with his (albeit sometimes cheesy) charm and winning attitude, he had men and woman alike falling over themselves to declare themselves his biggest fan. (Or, indeed, declare their love.)

Mirage loved the attention. Lived for it, it sometimes seemed. But it was there again in his eyes as Wraith watched him chat to the smitten girl, signing her photograph and sending her on her way with one of his trademark winks. Wraith saw it as he watched her off, hands on his hips as he stretched a little, momentarily absent. She saw it in the way his smile flickered.

They'd been squad for three years, by now. Friends for almost as long, despite all her best efforts initially, to keep him at a distance. She knew him, inside out: the stuff she had to for the Arena and much more besides. His performance today had been stellar, as always. They'd vibed in all the right ways and worked seamlessly like they always did.

But the shadows had been there for a couple months, now, and he'd yet to say a word. She was… well, she was starting to worry.

Pathfinder was taking photos too, his line as long as Mirage's. Wraith had taken all hers already, her own fans more interested in her autographs or in group shots. Perhaps she scared a lot of them from asking for selfies. Who knew.

As it was, she leaned against one wall of the large booth they'd been sectioned into, holding her book but watching more than reading. Another fan stepped up to Mirage and the Trickster pounced instantly into his act.

Wraith watched, as she had for the last three after-game VIP meet-n-greets, as he smiled without it reaching his eyes. Compared to several of the others, Mirage's Promo expressions had always felt _real_. His eyes smiled, his grins were light, and you could see that he was genuinely pleased to be there, getting attention, giving people what they wanted.

As she watched him interact with the latest of his fans, she sighed. Something had to be done. But to do so, she'd have to know what to fix, which meant she'd have to find out what was broken. She watched, pretending to read, until it was time for the finale; the group shots their official photographer would be taking and printing on demand for the people who'd paid for the privilege of entry into their Booth.

Some of the photos would be pretty standard, directed by the photographer, and mostly just a lot of their own Banner poses. Some casual poses, if the crowd wanted them. And then a few suggestions, if anyone had any. These were what Wraith dreaded most, for you never knew what people would ask for, and sometimes it could get uncomfortable.

Once, a fan had asked for Mirage to pose with Wraith held above him, ballet-style. It was early in their friendship, it crossed a lot of her personal boundaries, and had been incredibly uncomfortable to fulfil. But the fan had been a five year old with hopeful eyes bigger than the moon, and Mirage had glanced at her with it written clear on his face that he thought they should.

She'd tried to take comfort in the fact that the kid had clearly just had his day made.

Since then they'd had their share of other embarrassing pose-requests, and had fulfilled almost all of them for imaginative fans with often romantic hearts. At this stage, with their bond and close friendship, there was little they couldn't shrug off afterwards.

She did as she was directed. She filled her poses, she flashed her sharp glances. She even let the Void flicker across her fingers despite the burn, when it was asked.

They'd completed most of their standard repertoire and were posing more casually when a fan asked for a group hug. Not uncommon, and typically a big fan favourite. Mirage's hearty chuckle was all the notice Wraith got before his arm was tossed over her shoulder to tug her to his side, and she rolled her eyes as she complied. He smiled cheekily at her as the crowd laughed and she grumbled, and his eyes lit up. Pathfinder's arm rested atop Mirage's on her shoulder and Mirage squeezed them both closer than was entirely necessary as he turned to the camera. Wraith let a smile touch her face.

"Say fermented milk proteins!" Pathfinder called brightly, and the flash caught them just as Mirage laughed, Wraith's own lips twisting in humour.

When their time slot was completed and they'd waved off their fans, Mirage collected the printouts from their sessions and Wraith helped Pathfinder tidy what little mess they'd left. When it was time to leave Wraith noticed that Mirage was lingering, even the photographer long gone. She quirked a curious eyebrow at him from the doorway, but he didn't seem to sense her gaze. He stood by one of the tables with a large printout in his hands, and his expression was a strangely… vulnerable sight.

There was something different in his expression, something that was… melancholy, maybe. Sad. Wistful. Not quite, but something. It made her heart ache softly, that he might be in some sort of pain.

Wraith moved to his side, peering down at the photograph. The group hug of course, the three of them crushed together in the centre of the image. Wraith felt her breath hitch to see it, something that always caught her off guard. The picture was _good_. Casual, with their friendship clear across the page.

Mirage's head was thrown to one side, the startled laughter warm on his mouth, the curl of his hair brushing the top of her own head as her eyes shifted sideways to look for Pathfinder at his unexpected command. Her own smile was real, expression coloured with wry amusement, an expression she had never seen on her own face, or ever expected to, only two years ago. Pathfinder's eye was bright with pride, the smiling face on his monitor display glowing and happy.

What struck her most, was the light in Mirage's eyes. His smile was real. He was captured there in this photograph, with real happiness in his face. Wraith looked up, seeing his expression now, faced with this photo it was clear he liked, and realised how easy it was to do what she'd been looking for a way to do.

"It's pretty good, huh?" he asked her, finally sliding amber eyes her way.

Wraith smiled, and hummed in amusement.

"Yeah. A good candid. I bet it blows up."

Mirage's lip rose at the corner, pleased.

"It's great. We're a real team."

Wraith gave a gentle snort, and slipped her hand onto his forearm, to tug him towards the doorway.

"Took you three years to figure out?" she teased, and watched the bright light in his eyes reappear as he pulled a stricken face.

"Took _me_ three- Excuse me? Who was it that didn't believe _me_ when _I_ said 'Hey, six months from now we'll be BFFs' huh?"

Wraith chuckled as he gathered the last of the photos and finally began following her, filling the air of the hallways with predictable squawking and denials. Reminding her of earlier days, if with exaggerations, of her lone wolf tendencies and his predictions of how great they'd become. She rolled her eyes. The strange, almost sad tinge from before was gone, and she was relieved. If it meant indulging his dramatics, so be it.

Besides, after all this time it wasn't like she didn't find him funny _now and then_.

~.~

Reigning Champions for another Game, the crowd in their booth room was thick. Wraith found herself with a long line, despite even her best efforts at being intimidating. It was clear pretty soon that their time slot would be extended. The photographer relayed temporary terms from the phone call, Management staff querying. Not that anyone expected the Legends to disagree, with the records they had the terms were often negotiated fairly.

The timescale was doubled. There would be a brief break midway, and they'd just lost their entire afternoon too. Mirage let it buoy him, clearly giddy about the implications of such an event. Real bragging rights the next time he was chatting shit with the other Legends. Pathfinder shared his sentiment. Wraith was exhausted before they even reached the interval, but if her squad were there, there she'd be.

"Can we get the two of you just about here, for a Duo set?"

Wraith swallowed her mouthful of water and hid her lack of enthusiasm. Mirage flashed a flirtatious grin and showed enough for both of them. But she saw his eyes, as he turned away to move, and there it was _again_. That shadow. That… sadness. She followed him over to the spot, waited patiently while a light was moved. She took the direction from the photographer. Mirage's elbow on her shoulder was comfortable, his body close to hers and warm, his grin wide.

To those who weren't looking, or weren't able to see under Mirage to Elliot, the hollowness in his eyes would be invisible. His smile the decoy.

Her gut lurched a little, and she was decided.

"Okay, and now casual? What about- Perfect!"

The photographer's tone leapt in satisfaction, and Wraith was relieved. Mirage had barely moved, and she sensed his confusion as he accepted it. Wraith's smile curled a little more than usual as the flash went off, and the people waiting giggled.

Mirage's bemusement was, in a way, a reward. For Mirage himself wouldn't see until later, if someone wanted an autograph on it, or maybe not even till their time was up. Wraith was surprised to feel kind of giddy with anticipation, and she sought another opportunity.

The lights were warm, by now, but she wasn't sure that they could be blamed for the depth of the heat that burned at the back of her neck.

As it turned out, someone _did_ want it autographed, his excitement clear and evident. This was something _new_, something he'd been among the first to witness, and that was obvious across the guy's face as he looked up at them.

"Wh- _Oh my god_."

Wraith smirked, tipping her head to one side as she looked up at his face, watching the surprise take hold. His mouth opened and closed, and it was both validating and mildly terrifying to await his reaction. Eventually his gaze slide to hers, and her smirk deepened as she saw the rare flush across the tops of his cheeks.

"You gave me _bunny ears_!"

He played his part, making everyone laugh as he waxed lyrical about the betrayal of it, the injustice, and then, grinning, the proclamation that he _knew_ she'd finally realise what fun was. Wraith huffed a laugh and rolled her eyes but behind it all, his big act, there was happiness in his eyes like sunshine filtering through honey. Wraith was pleased to see it.

~.~

Wraith settled on the carpeted step where she was directed, sweeping her legs up beside her and resting a hand on one ankle. Mirage's palms were firm as they settled on her shoulders and he gave them a brief squeeze, probably to comfort her. She tipped her head all the way back to look up at him and when he turned to meet her eye in amusement, their faces were scarcely inches apart.

She was struck suddenly by the thought of the leaf she'd rescued from his hair just the day before, and the look of pure terror she'd seen in his eyes when she turned away from the tumble she'd almost taken off the edge of the Arena.

The new smile that alighted briefly, sweetly, on his lips was _real_. His eyes lit up. Wraith's breath fumbled at the simple happiness and for a fleeting second she forgot about the Game, and the cameras, and felt herself smile back.

As she reached one hand up to push his face to the side for the audience's amusement and the flash of the camera, her heart pounded. She wondered for the rest of the day if he'd seen the way her gaze flickered to his mouth when he smiled.

~.~


	2. Chapter 2

~.~

"So we're looking for Pathfinder, front and centre, can you- just like that. Okay, Wraith, you good? Good, okay-"

Wraith was not fond of this one. Swept up bridal style by Pathfinder, Mirage at her shoulder with a hand on her brow and a worried expression on his face, she felt like she looked weak. While pretty common to get requests for battle-scene mock-ups, this reminded her of a moment in an early game that was very much not a happy memory for her.

Out of sight of the prying camera lens, Mirage's free hand brushed the back of her neck, the pad of one thumb tracing a surprisingly soothing circle against her uncomfortably flushed skin.

~.~

Another win, another VIP meet-n-greet. Wraith's hand was cramping as she signed the final autograph in her line, and she tried not to look too relieved as she smiled and handed the book back. She unscrewed the cap on her water bottle, glancing subtly at her watch as she did. Gods, still only two thirds done. Extended sessions would become their new norm, at this rate. She amused herself by pretending to entertain the idea of throwing a Game, just to avoid being Champions again. Mirage was chatting with the girls next in his line, his eyes crinkling in that way that had them all swooning. Wraith felt the smile touch the corner of her mouth as she watched him.

He leaned back, a casual shrug to something they'd said, his hands splayed out and his eyes twinkling. Wraith's gut clenched, because it was back. The hidden shadow in his eyes. She took another swig from her bottle, and considered her next move.

~.~

"Why don't we start with the first personal request?"

Wraith set aside her book and looked alert as the photographer turned to take them from the audience. He flipped through the gathered flashcards, his gaze flicking up to them and back down. Two got slipped out and sat to the side; either duplicates, or ones he had denied.

"Okay, Mirage, Pathfinder, let's have you two…"

Wraith watched in amusement, smirking whenever Mirage glanced her way, teasing him silently just to watch the way he grinned. She still sought a way to chase away the unknown sadness that had plagued him so many months, but it seemed weaker today. It warmed her chest to see him so relaxed. All his old antics, the ones that had at first convinced her they would never work as partners, were reassuring now. Proof he was okay. Or at least as okay as a person who'd killed the way they had, could be.

They cycled through several poses before she was motioned over. She took it upon herself to hover behind them, raising both hands, and answering the photographer's pleased smile with a wicked one of her own.

"Are you giving me bunny ears?" Mirage whined when several people snickered, "You're giving me bunny ears."

Wraith couldn't help but give a soft chuckle of her own, forgetting the camera until it flashed. When that one was left at the end of the day, she stared down at it and wondered how obvious it was to everyone else how much affection her face showed when he made her laugh.

~.~

"Wraith?"

She hesitated, before her eyes flicked sideways. Mirage was watching her, his crowd-pleasing expression still in place, but his eyes were waiting for her answer. She _hated_ requests like this. She bit her tongue and turned back to the photographer, nodding slightly as she handed back the card. Mirage offered her a hand, and he squeezed her fingers gently when she slipped her hand in his.

To find the most natural angle, he turned her slowly a few times, and she did her best to ignore the whispering from the crowd. She was painfully aware that to many this was something they'd kill to see. The camera clicked once or twice as he led her, before the arm on her waist pressed into the small of her back in indication. She let him guide, the pressure of his hand holding her up as he dipped her.

As he held her there, suspended in a faux dance with his eyes locked in hers, she felt the thrum of her own pulse and wondered if he'd ever had lessons. He was always so fluid and natural in everything he did, how much of it was training? Was it all an act?

The audience applauded.

"Perfect!" came the bright satisfaction, "Okay, next I need Pathfinder to…"

Wraith squeezed his shoulder as he raised her again. His gaze met hers and under the flirtatious, easy smile, she saw the softness. She frantically searched for a break.

"You managed not to drop me." she blurted, a half-whisper, and he laughed as he righted her on her feet and let her go.

"You weigh nothing, Wraith. You callin' me weak?"

She laughed as he shoved her lightly, having watched the shadow melt away again.

~.~

"_Ohh_ yeah," Mirage answered, grinning wide, "something fun!"

Wraith rolled her eyes as he turned to her, but he only snickered.

"This one's your fault." she muttered to him, and his grin only widened further, a wicked light in his eyes.

"Good to show you what it's like to be tall, once in a while." he teased, and the harmless smack on his shoulder only made him laugh more.

The audience loved their banter. Wraith loved the sound of his laugh, even as she swatted his offered hands and swept herself up into the piggyback with just her own momentum. His hands curled around her thighs until she was steady but it was clear she didn't need the purchase as she crossed her legs loosely around his middle. She leaned one elbow on his shoulder and set her chin in the cup of her hand, pulling a thoroughly unimpressed expression as he brought out his timeless finger-guns and traditional wink. With her free hand, she gave him bunny ears.

When she saw the printout, she laughed. Pathfinder had given her her own set of bunny ears, offsetting the utterly bored aura she'd pulled. And Mirage's eyes smiled, his head tipped a little to one side as he tried to look up at her, on his back. Wraith held the photo as her gaze traced the softened curve of his smile, and the responding realisation caught her by surprise.

~.~

Mirage rolled his eyes as she brushed him aside playfully before taking her position in the front of their group shot, and she swallowed before resting one elbow at her waist, leaning back on it and angling away from where he stood, almost directly behind her. She shifted her other arm upwards, folded pretty close to her shoulder, with her fingers curled into a fist.

It took him a second or two, before his laugh was bright with surprise and she could sense him shifting away the other way, his knuckles connecting with hers. Wraith kept her gaze on the camera, one eyebrow half-raised in an almost bored fashion. From the sounds of the response? Instant fan favourite.

Wraith's face looked back at her from the glossy page, expression painted with just enough boredom to appease her image, the fist bump between her and Mirage looking sufficiently low effort for her, as though she were the one indulging _him_ in completing it. Mirage leaned back on one heel, centre-stage, expression delighted, eager, playing his part. His free hand lay under his chin, index finger curving his mouth. Pathfinder stood directly between them, one elbow resting on Mirage's shoulder in an accurate mimicry of one of the Trickster's favoured poses, the other hand raised in a thumbs up, laughing face on his monitor.

Wraith's heart bumped gently against her ribs as she looked at the way Mirage's eyes were on her. She'd seen it so many times before and yet… This time it made her chest feel tight as her heartbeat tripped up.

It wasn't till she was back in her dorm that she realised there weren't shadows in his eyes, or that she'd _forgotten_ to even check at the time. Her face coloured as she got ready for bed.

~.~

Wraith took the flashcard from the photographer. Though his face was neutral, - the call would be theirs and he'd shown them often enough that he didn't mind whether they accepted or denied - his blue eyes searched her face for discomfort as she read it, for he'd worked with them for years and cared enough about them and would deny the request himself if he thought they were accepting just to appease fans.

Wraith's stomach lurched and heat rose in her face as she angled it sideways for the man leaning over her shoulder. His breath was warm against her neck even from so far away, and her claustrophobia felt heightened. Her pulse raced. The arm slung casually on her shoulder shifted, drew away.

Wraith was flushed with gratitude, still caught off guard sometimes by how well he knew her without words.

"Pass." he said softly as he handed it to the photographer, and Wraith froze in her own skin as she realised she'd almost disagreed.

She didn't know why, for it was definitely a request that crossed all her personal boundaries and fuelled gossip and rumours they dealt with enough already.

The shock was a cold punch in her gut when the thought came to her, as everyone moved swiftly along and Mirage tugged her into their next group shot.

Was it because she'd… wanted to see it?

~.~

"This one's great!"

Wraith looked over from the last chair she left to tidy against the wall, unable to stop her gaze from trailing the length of him when the opportunity was there, leaning against the tabletop with his legs crossed, hands full of printouts and his hair loose and brushing over his face.

Her chest pulsed, like a gentle squeeze, and she tried not to feel it.

"Which one?" she asked, stacking the chair and wiping her hands together as she made her way over.

He turned the photo around and offered her it when she settled next to him, and their shoulders brushed. Everyone else had gone and she still had her stuff to throw back into her bag, but all thoughts of moving left her head as she looked at them, there on the page.

Wraith stood pretty small in one of her oldest poses, with one hand holding her other wrist, both pressed against her breastbone. The captured purple sparks flickered down her arm like strings of thin thread. Mirage had snuck around behind her, popping up near one shoulder, a hand resting on her waist as he was curving past her, the other on her shoulder. It reminded her of one of his many poses with his decoys, and she smiled.

His expression was open and playful, grin teasing on the page as his face turned up to her. Instead of her head tipping the other way for her to roll her eyes, like it did in so many of their photos, it tilted down for her gaze to meet his, her own lips curving in something playful too. Something fond. The faintest milky sheen lit her blue eyes like pearls, and it was reflected, right there, in his own eyes.

Breathing was hard as she stared down at them, her heart pounding.

"I bet it blows up." he chuckled, but Wraith's words wouldn't come. She couldn't look away.

The knowledge was there, bright and bold and unmissable in her throat. She loved him. And she could _see_ it.

~.~

"What about this one?"

Wraith lifted her face to look at the flashcard he was holding out, and although her stomach lurched, she managed to raise an eyebrow and give him a flat look. He chuckled, and sat it down. While Pathfinder was completing his solo requests, Mirage was flicking through their Duos. They always ended up with so many more together than with Path, something nobody ever pointed out even though it was glaringly obvious why. Some people just wanted a romance.

Wraith swallowed down the thought that she was starting to realise she might be one of those people.

"Okay, okay," Mirage chuckled, the sound comfortable and warm, "What about _this_ one?"

She elbowed him when he held it in front of her face, and he played wounded as she sat it atop the other on the pile. She held her hand out for the pile he had, but he pulled them out of reach with a grin.

"Oh, uh uh. I at least wanna see the good ones before you deny them."

Wraith huffed, but she could feel her face heating, and that made her scowl.

"Come on," he appeased her, moving back beside her so she could see, "some of them aren't…"

Wraith's breath caught as he trailed off, her heart stumbling in surprise as the words on the card threw up an image in her head she wasn't expecting, a dull ache squeezing her chest. Mirage was silent beside her and suddenly the noise of the room, of the crowd, the camera, their squadmate all seemed loud and oppressive, and Wraith felt her skin burning with shame that she'd… She'd…

She drew away and forced her eyes on her book, fighting the painful beat of her heart and willing it to slow.

Now you're being ridiculous, she wanted to say, but all that came out was

"Ridiculous."

Wraith didn't recognise the sound of her own soft, strained voice.

~.~


End file.
